10 First Dates
by Crimnatic
Summary: 10 ways they could connect, 10 ways they may have realised, and 10 ways they started. 10 different; non-correlated, one-shot stories of romance, kinship, and what it means to connect. Out of rage, tragedy, and distress, a bond was forged. A Reid/Prentiss series.
1. To Helen

**1:**

"You alright?" Her hand brushed gently against the rough fabric of his chestnut vest, sending blistering shivers trickling down his spine, as she took the seat transverse from him in the jet.

"I'm just- tired." He shook his head, setting his book down on the sturdy cherry-wood table. "Aren't you?" Reid continued after a short pause, trying to avert eye contact with her. In spite of all the time that they had spent together, he never quite understood why tension still existed between them. Or maybe, it was just paranoia on his own part.

"Not quite. Then again, I wasn't the one that had to deal with that Harvey guy, right? And then there was Newburg… And I don't have to construct the interrogation report." Emily chuckled, in attempt to lighten the mood, only to end the meagre laugh with a sigh. Reid reacted nervously with his signature awkward smile, before he cringed in a rictus of discomfort.

"I'm sorry. I should've been a little more sensitive. I- I uh- I just wanted to ask if you'd like to talk about it. I know this one's affecting you in a way that other cases haven't, and-" She halted her speech, as Reid tilted his chin for his gaze to meet hers.

"Yeah, I'd like that." Reid smiled, though this time, sincerely. He guided his glare back to his tanned corduroys, not contemplating Prentiss' smile.

"So, what's the genius Doctor Reid reading over here today?" She gave their conversation a nudge.

"The uh- The Southern Literary Messenger. It's a compilation of poems, consisting of both fiction, and non-fiction, and uh- historical notations." Reid replied confidently, as his fingers trailed off to toy with the fabric of his corduroys.

"Sounds- interesting enough." Prentiss smirked.

"I find your condescending comments on my literary choices strangely… Alluring." He smiled exultantly upon the fact that he had dumbfounded Prentiss. The latter could not deny his flattery had a lasting effect on her.

"Quite the erudite sycophant, aren't you, Doctor Reid?" She finally replied rhetorically, trying to conceal her subtly flushed cheeks.

"I'm just, uh- stating the facts. You should be aware that I do not have the compulsive habit of lying." Reid replied, giggling. "Or bootlicking, for that matter." His words could not have proven to be any less of an evisceration for her, as she tried to bury her widened grin.

"There isn't a reason for my attempt to cajole you, in any case. We are of the same rank, Emily." Reid continued, feeling beads of perspiration form at the foot of his scalp.

"Then why not tell Hotch he's 'alluring', huh? Maybe that'll earn you a raise." Prentiss responded humorously, cocking an eyebrow.

"I doubt that's such a good idea." Reid spoke in a hushed tone, wincing at the thought of it, snickering at her joke, before redirecting his line of sight to his corduroys. He, however, could not resist stealing several glances at his charming female counterpart as he did.

"Alright, I'll leave you to sleep first. You'll need to rest up," Prentiss smiled compassionately as she got off the seat. "You shouldn't give your headaches a chance to relapse." She spoke with a whisper, leaning to his ear, as she patted him on his stiffened shoulder. Wary of attracting the attention of the other teammates, Reid turned his head gradually, watching her slender silhouette fade into the darkness that shrouded the rest of the jet. The negligent boundaries of his train of thought left him wafting away, relinquishing how she had known he was not ready to discuss his problems quite yet, despite his longing to. Being a genius with an astonishingly eminent IQ quota did not comfort his sense of incompetency at understanding matters regarding emotions. Some things, he felt, he might never come to comprehend. With that, Reid unwittingly drifted into sleep.

The turbulence amidst the flight path was the least bit effective in awaking Reid. The jet, for the next four hours, was plagued in silence.

"_Hello?" Reid called out. "Anybody here?"_

"_I need a medic! Stat!" An unsettlingly familiar voice rang through the barren area. The plea echoed throughout the dimly-lit corridor._

_The temperature of the area unnerved the young genius, sending bitter shivers down his entire being, as he approached the comforting lambent glow. Silhouettes crept and pranced on the corridor walls, becoming increasingly clear as he quickened his footsteps, despite the paralysing numbness in his feet. This was peculiarly familiar. _

_Reid's face turned puce immediately, as he bore witness to the root of the mayhem. Within an arm's length, stood a lifeless carbon copy of himself, which lay motionless in a puddle of thick, burgundy liquid. Mourning next to the corpse, was Morgan, pressing a blood stained piece of fabric to the base of his neck. _

"_Come on Reid! Don't you do this! Reid!"_

"_Morgan! He's gone!" Hotch barked unmistakably, forcibly yanking the muscular man off the body. _

"_No!" Morgan fought adamantly, delivering a jaw-fracturing blow to his superior's face, sending the latter crashing, and dismantling a metal shelf. Seemingly out of nowhere, Jeff Newburg emerged from the abyss, tilting his gun at Morgan. _

"_Morgan!" Reid frantically called out, running towards Newburg, in attempt to tackle and disarm him. He ran hysterically, and in the nick of time, he had reached Newburg. Little did he know, at the crack of a blood-curdling shot, Morgan was hit, his body, sent plummeting to the hard ground. _

"Reid?" A warm voice whispered gently into his ear, causing him to jolt upright.

"Wha- Oh, it's you." Reid sighed in relief, allowing his palpitations to return to their norm.

"Are you alright?" Emily asked, caressing his arm.

"Yeah. Nightmare. It's nothing. Where's Morgan?" He responded, taking in a deep gush of air, as he flipped his hair.

"Morgan? Everyone's just left. We're back home. Why'd you ask?" Prentiss smiled benignly, whipping out a piece of tissue.

"The uh- It was about Morgan. It's nothing, really." Reid replied, smiling forcibly at Prentiss.

"It's never nothing. Especially if it gets you breaking out in cold sweat." Prentiss leaned over, wiping the sweat off his temples. "Like this."

"Technically, sweat isn't cold. Well, it turns cold, but it never is cold by nature, as it is secreted from our eccrine glands. It's because our base heart rate increases sharply when we are nervous, hence our bodies undergo excessive homeostasis when our sympathetic nerves send neurotransmitters to our brains' hypothalamus, hence commencing diaphoresis, and-" Reid paused and chuckled, as his eyes met Emily's. "I'm sorry, I'm having one of my digressive episodes again. I'm probably boring you." He continued with a shy chortle.

"So you were nervous, huh? But hey. You're laughing now. That's a good sign. I'd sit here the whole night if that'd make you feel any better." Emily pried his palm open softly, and handed him the tissue, which he slid into his pocket. "Sadly, I don't think Captain Greg will be very willing to do the same. He's got to get the jet back into the warehouse, you know." Emily laughed, handing Reid his satchel and exiting the jet, as he followed suit, with a broad smile spreading across his face.

"Hey, uh- Emily?" Reid stuttered.

"Yeah?" She turned around, whilst walking away from the jet.

"Thank you. For everything." He smiled, his eyes lighting up in the deep of the night.

"What are friends for, right?" She replied, regulating her footsteps to match his speed. She nudged him in the elbow, startling him. It was a feeling unbeknownst to him, as he peered into her gaze. The sheer amalgam of complex emotions that erected his goose bumps when she touched him was utterly foreign to him. He often wondered what it was, or rather if there even was a term for it.

"Reid?" Emily gave him another nudge.

"Yeah- I'm sorry. I just got lost in my thoughts for a minute there." Reid replied, adverting her gaze.

"Don't you always." Emily responded with sarcasm. "In any case, we don't get tomorrow off, so you really should get home, and get some rest. I, for one, can't wait for a nice hot shower." She laughed, shrugging.

"I guess I really should." Reid smiled, tossing his satchel over his shoulder. "So, do you have any other plans tonight?" He asked innocently.

"Nah, I'll just be getting comfy with Sergio. And that bath. That's it. How about you? Garcia's been yelling at me to get some insight into Doctor Reid's personal life. Mind shedding some light on it for me?" Emily joked, oblivious to the blushing of Reid's cheeks.

"I- I think Garcia told you to do it because she couldn't dig up anything on me. And that's because I don't really have too much of a personal life, quite frankly. I don't have friends apart from the few of you, and neither do I have a partner, per se. That is, with the assumption that nobody in this team would consider my reading material as a barometer for how exciting my rather non-existent personal life is, right?" Reid fumbled with his thumbs, and he could not help but to feel ashamed of it.

"Well, books can be personal. The Southern Literary Messenger, for example, tells me exactly what kind of a person you are." Emily smiled, stroking the lean man's back.

"_Helen, thy beauty is to me_

_Like those Nicean barks of yore_

_That gently, o'er a perfumed sea,_

_The weary, way-worn wanderer bore_

_To his own native shore._

_On desperate seas long wont to roam,_

_Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic face,_

_Thy Naiad airs have brought me home_

_To the glory that was Greece,_

_And the grandeur that was Rome._

That's from '_To Helen'_, by Edgar Allen Poe. What does that suggest about me?" Reid raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Has the great Reid overlooked the fact that I'm a fellow profiler, who just-so-happens to specialise in the field of linguistic analysis?" Emily smirked in a cavalier fashion, pulling his footsteps to a grinding stand.

"Are you mocking me too?" Reid cringed in confusion. He wasn't even sure if his remark was serious. To him, it had meant to be a casual and passing statement, but somehow or rather, he felt a chink deep inside that told him otherwise. Maybe it was because he never had the impression that Emily would explicitly ridicule him. He had doubts about that theory, since she wasn't exactly mocking him. He often wondered why he would have the urge to rebut Emily whenever she made a humorous comment on him, despite the fact that he had never brought himself to actually voice them out. Maybe it was the fact that she'd never treated him like an adolescent, or maybe _it wasn't_.

"Reid, I- I'm sorry, it was meant to be a joke. Are- are you mad at me?" Emily's face turned the colour of ash, wishing she had thought twice about passing one of her smart remarks. She never had the intention of hurting him, not based on the stereotypical assumption that he was as fragile as a child, but because she cared about what he thought.

"Mad? Mad about what? I think I should apologise. I overreacted a little. I guess I'm just a little naive, huh? I'm s-"

"No, you're not naïve. At least I've never thought so. Everyone handles their own emotions differently. Just because you care about things that others don't regard, doesn't indicate that you're a child. That's just- You know what? If you can relate to the poem, it tells me that you see the details in things, and that you've learnt to appreciate the seemingly minute tasks in life, and you long for the day that you feel accepted wholly by your peers. At the same time, from what you said about your personal life, and correlating it to the poem, I'm not sure if you want a love life. You've got a crush, to put it crudely. Is that accurate enough?" Emily sighed heavily.

"I wish it wasn't." Reid gave out a strangled laugh. "I do want a more substantial personal life, and all my life, I've come to handle the devastation of rejection, though I'm not so sure I'll be able to manoeuvre my way out of this one, if I screw up."

"Well, give it a shot. You're one of the nicest men I know. If not, _the nicest_ man I know. You're chivalrous, you're kind, you're polite, you're a genius, and amongst all of that, you're faithful, and sweet. I don't think any girl would be able to turn you down, if only she knew all of those things." Emily patted Reid's back, with a settling smile.

"You mean it?" Reid asked forlornly. She nodded, much to his astonishment. "I- I'm just afraid she's taken." He replied with a disappointed half-smile.

She shared his despondence. "Is she taken, or are you afraid she is?"

"The latter, pretty much."

"You wouldn't know until you give it a try. Sometimes, you've just got to throw caution in the wind, and dive into it. You've told me once, that someone who isn't afraid to deride their own mistakes will never have to be embarrassed by them. If it doesn't work out, then, you've learnt something. But you do get the satisfaction, knowing that you've tried, at the very minimum." Emily stared into his hazel eyes, which seemed to have glistened under the golden streetlamps, and she could not abstain from grinning as she witnessed him regaining confidence. "Come on, let's get out of here. It's a little chilly." With that, she continued advancing towards the shelter, away from the open airstrip.

"Emily?" Reid grabbed her hand, and held her back. She was staggered by his sudden contact, as she glanced upon their locked hands. For several tense seconds, none of them spoke. He was distraught, wondering if he pushed it too far. He was not aware of why he had done what he did, but a strange inclination within himself drove him to take the step. _I think I love her._ His heart felt as if it was in his mouth; feeling every beat pounding against his eardrum. Prior to his sudden action, the fact that he could have lost one of his only friends was at the back of his mind. _No, what have I done? No._

For the exact period of time, Emily couldn't take her eyes off their hands. She too, was aghast. The question remained in her head: _do I like him back?_ Of all the things she had said about him, of all the times she had thought about him, and of all the times that they had spent together, what if she did have feelings for him? Did she? She felt her pulse racing, and their clasped hands were getting wetter with each passing moment. Was she the one sweating, or was he? She tried to speak, but what could she have possibly said? She had told him to dive into it, and to throw caution into the wind, but was she ready to do it as well?

"Emily, I-" He finally spoke, fixating his eyes on hers. "I'm so sorry- I shouldn't have done this. I'm so sorry- I" He let go of his grip. His eyes dropped to the ground, crestfallen, and in remorse of what he had done. Emily stood in the cool of the howling wind, wondering what she could do.

"No-" She managed to croak. She took his hand, and titled his cheek, to the point where their eyes made contact again. She had things that were at the tip of her tongue, but nothing emerged from her mouth. Utterly speechless, she smiled gently, and embraced the tall figure. He held her tightly against his chest, his mind still running a marathon. He did not have a clue what it meant. He was certain, however, he did not want to let her go. For a brief moment in his life, he felt like a real man, and all he had wanted to do was keep the woman he fell in love with safe, despite not knowing how he could accomplish it.

She broke away slowly, reeling from the foreign consolation that he had brought her. She stared deeply into the striking eyes she had come to admire greatly. She brushed her palm against his soft cheeks, tucking a loose cluster of his hair behind his left ear.

"I know I don't deserve you, and I don't want you to do this because you're afraid to say no, Emily. I don't want to force you into anything, and I want you to know, that, I'm happy if you're happy. We don't have to, just because of me-" Reid mumbled, admiring her luscious raven hair. Even if she said no, he knew that he would still be content to be her friend. Emily's hand drifted to his thin magenta tie, and she closed the distance between them.

"Spencer. I think I love you." She managed to stutter. He was astounded. Despite being a genius, no book he had ever read had taught him how to deal with a situation like this one. Relaxing himself, he took a deep breath, and with their eyes still in a deadlock, he smiled quirkily, and rested his palms on the small of her back. His eyes mesmerised her, and hers captivated his. Pulling on his tie subtly, she brought his face inches away from hers. Her hands made their way to the hind of his neck, and stroked it. He closed his eyes, getting lost in her touch as the tips of their noses met delicately. She shut her eyelids, indulging and basking in his comfort. His right hand slid to the side of her cheek, and finally, she drew him to her. Their lips met delicately, both of them still in the midst of exploring each other under a different light. Reid tensed at the kiss, instantaneously submerging himself in a world he never knew existed. Emily was dizzy with a feeling she had never experienced over the course of her life. Butterflies fluttered about in her stomach; to the moment she was convinced that this moment was not a product of an overworked mind. Letting his libido take the front seat, Reid pulled her against him, craving something he had never knew he wanted. She complied exultantly, yearning for his touch that constantly sent her shivering with excitement.

Moments after their escapade, they mutually broke the kiss.

"Woah-" Reid managed to gasp.

"Likewise, Doctor Reid." Emily looked at him, stunned and thoroughly paralysed.

They smiled warmly at each other, both unsure of what to say.

"You know, uh- There's this nice diner near my apartment. It's open twenty-four seven, and they serve some mean milkshakes. Would you-" Emily laughed nervously.

"Yeah, you know uh- I love dairy."

"How would I forget? You keep a bottle of those over-the-counter calcium chewables on your desk." They laughed heartily, and Reid grabbed her palm in his hand.

"Is this going to be a- a date?" Reid giggled diffidently.

"I guess it is." With that, she interlocked their fingers, and squeezed his palm.

Reid brought Emily close, and couldn't help but wonder if the moment was real at all. "Our first date, huh?" Emily nodded, biting her lip in awe of the, albeit, eventful night. It was only the beginning.


	2. Wednesdays

_Author's note: Hi everyone, just wanted to say a massive thank you for the reads, and the reviews. I'll sporadically put the rest of them up, although I'm still working on several of them. I really hope you've enjoyed these, and that you'll keep reading! This one's less character-centric, and fluffier than the first, but I nonetheless, hope you'll like it. Enjoy!_

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**2:**

Prentiss sat quietly at her desk, despite being surrounded by the bustle of the bullpen, which teemed with restless agents during the most unorthodox of hours. She fell back, and hung her sore head on her swivel chair, massaging the peak of her neck with her aching fingers. She let out a heavy sigh, while remnants of the week's events protracted amidst her mind. _One case; five consultation reports; and two more case reflections- all in just this week. Boy, do I need a break._

"Emily?" An acquainted voice sounded from the cubicle beside hers.

"Oh, yeah Reid?" Emily straightened up, picking her pen up from under her muddled pile of notes.

"I'm heading home now. Would you like to take the Metro with me? That is, if you are going home now. I wouldn't want to impose and disrupt your uh- progress." Reid smiled, shoving several files into his tattered messenger bag.

"Yeah, why not? I can't remember the last time I actually had a good rest this entire week. This sounds stupid, but what day is it anyway?" Emily rested her head on her fingertips, putting pressure on her pulsating left temple.

Reid let out a concealed giggle, and replied with a smirk, "Emily, it's Wednesday."

"Only? Just a reminder why I don't like Wednesdays. Nothing tremendous ever happens on them." Emily moaned.

"Hey, hey, hey. Don't forget me, miss sassy. I was born on a Wednesday." Morgan chortled from behind her.

"Corroborates my point right there." Emily rolled her eyes sarcastically, as Reid laughed from the side.

"Ouch." Morgan joked. "Anyway, Garcia sent me down here to ask if you guys wanted to have Chinese with us and JJ."

"I'll pass. I have no intention of going anywhere but home, tonight." Emily spun her chair to look at Reid.

"I'll take a rain check as well. I've got some things I have to attend to." Reid smiled, taking a nudge from Morgan in the chest.

"I see. You two are up to something, hmm?" Morgan taunted, with a broad grin across his face.

"Stop being so smug about it, Morgan. We don't have anything to hide." Emily hissed, positioning her chair to face Morgan instead. She was deadly serious.

"Woah, take it easy. I was just joking. Why so serious, eh? Hmph. Ciao." Morgan shrugged, scurrying away as Emily raised her eyebrow, in all severity.

Morgan's words lingered on in Emily's brain. _Why was I so defensive anyway? It's just Reid. He's my best friend. _

Reid could sense that something was amiss with Emily. He wasn't crystal clear on what it was, and he admitted that he was albeit a tad hurt by her overreaction with Morgan. _Is she ashamed of me?_ Reid couldn't help but wonder.

"Are you ready to go?" Reid asked in a hushed tone, hoping that he didn't provoke her.

"Yeah, sorry. Just give me a minute to pack up a little." Emily turned to Reid with a smile. She took a deep breath and brushed her thoughts off. For a long time, she had always felt that Reid was special, in a sense that even she couldn't grasp completely. She would put her emotions off, but what angered her, was the fact that the feeling never stopped returning, and she could never wholly comprehend it. _It's nothing, Emily. He's just nice to you, that's it._ Maybe she wished it would be more. _Just, maybe_.

He watched as she shoved things haphazardly into her bag. Something was definitely different about her. Reid only wished that he knew what it was. He watched attentively to her every action, hoping to gain an insight of what was troubling her. Reid was aware of how upset she would have been; if she knew he was profiling her, but he didn't know what to do otherwise. _I wish I could just ask her._ He however drifted off into deep thought, watching, as her slender and nimble hands seized each of her items; how her dark elegant hair fell on her shoulders; and how Emily nibbled on her lips when she was tense. She was beautiful, and Reid could never deny it.

"Reid?" Emily asked, snapping him out of his trance.

"Yeah? Are- are you ready to go?" Reid smiled, getting off his seat, and slinging his bag over his head.

"Hey, yeah, uh- I forgot- I actually drove here the other day." Emily replied, jiggling her car keys. She felt her cheeks becoming progressively warm.

"Oh- I could always take the Metro myself-" Reid smiled. He did feel disappointed, and it only added fuel to the fact that he thought she was reluctant to be around him.

"Nah, I could send you home. Your apartment's a fifteen-minute drive from mine. From a D.C. aspect, we couldn't be any nearer to each other. What do you say?" Emily flipped her keys, and swung the handle of her bag over her right shoulder.

"R-really? I really wouldn't want to impose." Reid responded, with a nervous smile.

"Uh-huh." Emily raised her eyebrow, and cocked her head at the direction of the large glass door. She started walking towards it, as soon as Reid followed suit.

None of them uttered a word until they approached Emily's car.

"How long have you even gone without sleep?" Reid asked with concern.

"I've been here since Monday. The only real rest I think I might have gotten is that five hour-long nap yesterday night." Emily yawned, feeling the burning strain on her back.

"Emily, you've gone at least seventeen hours without sleep, which means that your focus has already begun degrading. Did you know that being sleep deprived for about sixteen hours has the equivalent effect of a point eight blood alcohol level? Effectively, Emily, you're going to drive intoxicated." Reid frowned, snatching the keys from Emily's hand before her dawdling body could react.

"From what I know, you've been here just as long as I have. What makes you any different, smarty pants?" Emily sighed. Reid looked at her, hoping that it was a rhetorical question. "Oh yeah, you take those poly- whatever naps." She said, stifling her yawn mid-sentence.

"I engage in a polyphasic sleep pattern. Which means I, unlike you, am fully alert." Reid boasted, directing Emily to the front seat. He unlocked the door, and held it open for her, before he took the driver's seat.

She strapped herself in the seat, and tossed her bag on the foot of the seat. "Reid?" She asked hazily, contemplating the wonders of what a comfortable seat could do to her.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

He started the engine, and wiped the wheel with his handkerchief that he drew from his left breast pocket. "No problem. I need to buff up my driving skills too. I haven't driven in some time." He laughed. "And, Emily?"

She looked at him in a semi-dazed state.

"Just- just get some rest. I'll get you home, then I'll pick you up in the morning, so that you'll have your car back, if that's alright with you." Reid smiled, shifting the gear on the vehicle.

"Mhmm. Sounds like a plan." She nodded lethargically, leaning her head against her hand, which rested against the widow pane.

In mere moments after he pulled out of the car park, Emily was fast asleep. She was absolutely drained, and she made no attempt to hide it. Reid drove with added caution; avoiding disrupting her much needed slumber. Ever so often, he would turn his focus to admire how stunning she looked under the pallid streetlights. Streaks of her smooth hair strayed onto her face, however, her soft, rosy cheeks were still visible. Reid was content to see how peaceful she had slept, so much so that even after he pulled over outside her apartment, he didn't bear to wake her up. She needed her rest, and he didn't want to interrupt that.

Those plans were foiled, as Emily stirred awake, after feeling the car pull to a halt. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she sat up upon distinguishing her familiar surroundings.

"Hey, you're awake." Reid said in a hushed tone.

"Mhmm-" Emily inhaled deeply, feeling her muscles loosening. "Thanks for the ride home, Reid." She managed to mumble.

"No need for thanks." Reid smiled, gazing into her magnificent eyes that had always seemed to sparkle. Emily smiled back, feeling her heart thumping faster. She had always felt at ease with him, so much, that she wasn't afraid to fall asleep in his presence.

"Could I, uh- ask you something, Emily?" Reid asked apprehensively, as she picked her bag up.

"Go ahead, shoot." She replied without hesitation.

"Are you alright? It's really none of my business, but as a friend, I just want to know that you're okay. I mean- it's cool if you don't want to answer that."

"Yeah, I'm alright. I just haven't been getting loads of rest lately." Emily comforted. In fact, it was more than that, and she wanted to tell him everything. She held back. As much as she wanted to tell Reid, something within her was holding her back. She had trust issues, although she thought otherwise. "Yeah." She managed to say, once more.

"Emily?" Reid grabbed her attention. He knew it wasn't the end of the story. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Emily felt remorseful, hanging her head on her chest. "It's- I don't know how I feel, being back here. Every time I shut my eyes, I can't help but think of that night with Doyle. I don't have that many nightmares, but it's been hindering my sleep. It's just- there." She turned to look at him, her eyes becoming increasingly foggy, and her vision slowly obscuring. She had never thought that she was the kind to break down easily. Reid witnessed the desolation cloud her eyes, and he unfastened his seatbelt. Being unconstrained, he leaned over, and enclosed her in a tight embrace. It was the only thing he knew he could do. Emily didn't fight back. She had yearned for such comfort. She buried her face in his shoulder, taking in his scent, fighting back her tears. If given a choice, she would remain in his arms like this for as long as she could. She felt an undeniable consolation; she had never felt such effortlessness with anyone else.

Reid wrapped his long arms around her, letting Emily bellow on his shoulder. He could feel the heat of her body against his. He had never seen Emily in such a vulnerable state, and if only he could, and if only he knew how, he would wipe her tears away, and tell her how entrancing she was, and make her smile and beam like she always did. Instead, he let her let it out on him.

Abruptly, Emily broke away. She blinked rapidly, trying to rid her tears.

"Hey-" Reid's eyes filled with compassion. Emily turned to him, hugging him once more. "Emily-" Reid hung on to the embrace, wishing it could last for a little bit longer. He tore away, gripping Emily's hand, bringing it closer to his chest.

"I'm here for you. Always will be. Do you hear me?" Reid whispered in her ear, and holding her close, before finally planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

It was albeit too natural for the both of them. Emily didn't run from how she felt, and neither did Reid. They knew exactly what the other meant. Emily looked at him, as they exchanged mutual smiles. She admired how his coffee-coloured hair dangled from his forehead, and how his eyes would brighten whenever he smiled. She loved that about Reid; something that always made the future seem less murky for her.

"Would you like to come upstairs for a drink?" Emily broke the silence, squeezing Reid's hand back. She didn't seize him with intent. She took it slow, which made Reid feel completely affluent with her.

"Absolutely. And if- if you'd like to talk about it, I'll be all ears." He replied without hesitation, giving her palm another light, and assuring clasp.

Reid emerged from the vehicle, and made his way to the other side to open Emily's door for her. She exited the vehicle, and took his hand as he shut the door.

"Reid?" She said, with a warm smile. Her eyes met his. She needn't have said anything else. It was in her simple gaze. A gesture so unpretentious, and delicate, that told Reid exactly what she meant. _Thank you._

They shared the rest of the night together, talking about anything they could think of; books, people, family, until they drifted off into sleep. Emily had forgotten how it felt to be weary, and for a moment in her life, remembrances of Doyle ceased haunting her, and she forgot how it felt to be by her solitude. And for once in Reid's life… he was reminded of what it felt like to be loved.


	3. Apartment 310

_**Author's note**: This story takes place right after Season Three's 'About Face' episode. I modified my story to suit the timeline to my fullest ability, and I hope it somewhat makes sense. This story is also a Halloween tribute. Also, I apologise for the long wait. School has been hectic, and I've been trying to tailor other stories in this series as well. Please do leave me a review! They really help, and encourage me to go on. **Thank you** for reading, and... **Enjoy, and Happy Halloween!**  
_

**3**:

"_Are you okay?" Emily asked abruptly._

"_Oh, I'm-" Reid replied, with certainty, so much so that he almost convinced himself. "I'm great."_

_She sighed. "Do you want to talk about it?"_

"_What's there to- talk about, really?" Reid shook his head. _

"_Gideon?" Emily smiled, in a gentle manner. _

"_Oh, he uh- he left a letter explaining everything." Reid answered, feeling the rage and sadness pour into him once more. "Just like my dad did, when he abandoned me and my mum." _

_Emily could sense it. It didn't take a profiler to. She knew he was deeply hurt, albeit using euphemism to cover up the fact that he was scarred by the sense of redundancy everyone had seemed to treat him with. _

"_He addressed it to you." She said rhetorically. _

"_Yeah." He bit his lip, feeling perspiration trickle from his forehead. "You know- Gideon stood toe-to-toe with some of the- the sickest people on this planet." He swallowed hard. "I think that took a lot of courage, right?" _

"_Yeah." Emily replied. He was looking for assurance, and something he could hold on to, and she knew it better than anyone. _

"_So, why'd he do this?" Reid pulled out the creased letter from his pocket. He looked down on it. He didn't understand any of it. Maybe he did, but he wanted to be wrong, for once. He didn't want to give in. "It's addressed to me, but I'm- I'm not the only one he abandoned."_

"_But why is it addressed to you?" Emily glanced at the tall, lanky genius. She watched as his inquisitive gaze met hers. "I think you need to read that letter again." _

"_I have an eidetic memory, Emily." Reid still didn't understand. _

"_Oh yeah, and I know- an IQ of a hundred and eighty-seven, but- what do you remember about your father?" Reid shook his head in lieu of an answer. He didn't remember all that much about William. _

"_What do you mean?" Reid finally spoke. _

"_Well, he gave you ten years before he left. And yet, you've erased all those memories, and- it's too painful. I get it. But then, Gideon leaves- I think you need to read that letter again, and ask yourself why of all the people he walked away from, did he only explain himself to one person." Emily's eyes filled with empathy, as she looked deep into Reid's. "You." _

Her words hit him with magnitude. Unwitting to him, her words were etched into his mind. He didn't want to be angry. He couldn't; not anymore. He shut his eyes for moments, processing everything he had failed to comprehend. He opened them, to see her slim silhouette fade away. Emily was right. At the moment, he couldn't afford to grieve and wince over those mistakes. He had a case. _They_ had a case. Reid regained his sense of equanimity, and followed closely behind Emily. He didn't want to think about Gideon. Not now.

The team was on their way back to Quantico. Emily had been chatting with JJ, who sat contiguous to her. Reid could hear their muffled chirpy conversation, as he sat by his lonesome at the couch. Although he had a book in front of him, he wasn't resolute on reading. He found it peculiar. He had never felt this way; so distracted from something he enjoyed so much. It wasn't like he could make out what the two ladies were saying, though their conversation intrigued him. He shrugged the idea off, with his laggard body a reminder of his fatigue. He lay down, and tucked himself in. Whatever else could wait, he thought. Shutting his eyes, he unplugged himself from his surroundings, and fell peacefully asleep.

Reid stirred in his sleep. Flashes of his encounter with Tobias Hankel taunted him. _No, please don't_, Reid cried, to no avail. Hankel pulled out his revolver, and loaded one bullet into a single chamber. _It's God's will_, Hankel recited time after time. He spun the cylinder, and locked it into the middle of the gun. Reid blinked, as the click of the hammer dawdled in his mind. Reid shut his eyes, calculating his narrowing odds with each clack of the trigger. _One, two, three, four, five._ _It's fifty-fifty now. _Reid braced himself for the worst, hoping he would get to hear the click of the trigger once more.

The impact of the jet landing shook him out of his slumber. Reid jerked awake. He was relieved that none of the team members had noticed his sudden motion. At least he wouldn't have to be questioned like a child again. _A child having a stupid nightmare_- that was the impression Reid had of himself. He slid his book into his bag, and exited the jet, just like everyone else had. He wished, however, he could tell someone about it. Maybe he could tell Emily, but he was afraid of confronting her. _She's busy; she wouldn't have time to deal with my problems. She's probably got better things to do. _Reid watched from afar, as Emily laughed with JJ. _I could tell JJ, but-_ It was an untold secret that he felt everyone else in the team treated him as if he were a minor. All, except Emily, that is. Perhaps it was because she was relatively new to the team. Or maybe she actually understood him well enough. Reid shoved his hands into his pockets, wishing he could approach Emily. It didn't seem like a daunting task, but it was.

_It'll go away. Just like Morgan said. It'll go away._ Reid chanted in his mind.

Unbeknownst to him, his behaviour wasn't unnoticed.

Prolonged days, nights, and weeks had passed. Reid's hallucinations didn't cease disturbing him. It pushed him to an edge. He had almost returned to Dilaudid, but he couldn't. He quit. He didn't want to let the team down; he simply couldn't.

Before he knew it, the team was sent home, after yet another case in Denver. Reid was getting adjusted to the humidity in D.C. The case was gruelling- then again; every case the BAU undertook had never exactly turned out to be walks in the park. The Denver case involved children, and Reid detested it when the cases did. It often made him wonder if the abused children would mature to become abusers, like the their two unsubs did. Odds were one in eight, but Reid knew what it took. He had overheard Prentiss and JJ's most recent conversation on the jet. _So, Prentiss wanted to adopt Carrie, the victim that had survived the attack? _Reid understood why, and he couldn't help but to agree with JJ. _Emily would make a good mother._ Reid's mind wandered off. _Whoever the dad would be, he'd be a lucky guy_. Maybe Reid had surreptitiously wished that it could be him: the one to wake up next to Emily every morning, the one who would be able to turn her frowns into smiles, and the one who would be blessed enough to wrap his arms around her, and tell her that he loved her, every single day. _Why? _Reid constantly questioned himself. He convinced himself that he was trying to divert his thoughts away from Gideon and Dilaudid, but he didn't understand why he thought of her. Of _Emily_.

Rain fell; the drops of precipitation pattered heavily against his window. Raindrops slithered down the panes; the sound of the clatter soothed him to sleep. Reid didn't want to think anymore.

The nightmares came back, regardless. This time, he dreamt of Gideon getting shot by Hankel, as the last trigger pulled. Falling to the cold ground, the jaw of the mentor-figure Reid came to know, chattered. He mouthed the words "I'm sorry", before he shut his eyes. Devastation overwhelmed Reid. Hankel disappeared, and Reid was no longer bound to the wooden chair. Rushing over to the lifeless body, Reid felt for a pulse. He stood there, petrified; there was no response. In Gideon's hand, lay the letter he wrote addressed to Reid. "You." A perverted voice spoke from behind Reid. Hankel held the gun to his chest, and pulled the trigger.

Crash, went a clasp of thunder. It roared through the bare apartment violently. Reid awoke from the sudden commotion. He couldn't take it anymore. He didn't want to take this. Grabbing his set of keys, he dashed to his car. _Drive. Just drive. _His instincts told him; and so he did. _I just don't want to fall asleep again._

He drove around aimlessly, and he pulled over to look around. The lampposts illuminated the vacant street, and tinted each heavy raindrop yellow. The ambience was rare for the hustle of downtown D.C. Reid rolled his window down, stretching his arm out to enjoy the sensation of each forceful drop against his skin. A gentle smile spread across his face. He felt strangely grounded, and tranquil. He glimpsed as far as his vision allowed him to. _Isn't this Emily's house? _He squinted his eyes, and the posh façade of the building, coupled with the unmistakable street name confirmed his suspicions. _How did I get here?_

Without another thought, he rushed up to the aristocratic building, using his outstretched jacket to shelter himself from the rain. He checked the directory, using his finger to trace every name.

_Emily, Emily, Emily._ It was all that was in his mind. _Prentiss-Apartment 310._ Reid scurried to the third level. He paused on her door, as he loomed upon it. With composure, he rang the doorbell, his heart thumping against his chest. _Please, please._ _Please answer. _Cracks of light crept from the under the creak of the door. He could almost feel each heartbeat from within his head.

Alas, there was a sharp click from the door. Emily pulled it open. Her hair was unkempt, and she didn't have the slightest trace of make-up on.

"Reid? What are you doing here?" Emily raised her eyebrow in surprise, with her jaw dropping agape.

"Emily- I-" Reid didn't have the feeblest clue on what he could have said to her.

"I don't know how or why I got here- you were right about Gideon." Reid stuttered, stepping closer to her.

"Are you alright? You're wet. Do you-"

"I'm confused. I've had this feeling for so long, and I don't know what it is."

"What feeling?" Emily stroked his arm gently.

"It's- you. You, Emily. This feeling- my heart beats faster; I can't concentrate on anything else; I get nervous; I-" Reid took her hand. Emily was dumbfounded. _This couldn't be._ She looked at him with shock in her eyes; she didn't know how else to react.

"I'm sorry. I don't know-"Reid said, letting go of her hand. Without another sound he turned back, and left. He couldn't read her expression. He was too afraid to find out what she felt. He choked. Emily stood by her doorframe, unable to make sense of what Reid had said to her. _If he was even referring to me- how could he like me? Maybe I just read it wrong. _Part of her wanted to give chase, but what could she say to him, when she wasn't even sure of how she felt. She had noticed the change in Reid for a long time, and had wanted to ask him about it, but now-

_Do I like him?_ Emily wondered, as she shut her door. She would have gone back to bed; it was two in the morning; but her mind was running overdrive. She sat down on her couch, with her face in her palms. _How am I getting out of this one? _She thought back to the times they had shared. There weren't all that many, but she did feel something within her that told her that she didn't just want to be his colleague or friend, for that matter. There was so much at stake, and Emily knew it well. She crashed onto the couch, and grabbed one of her pillows. Clutching it close to her chest, she shut her eyes, wishing she could just pretend that nothing happened.

Reid slammed his car door. He was soaking, by the time he made his way to his vehicle. He didn't consider any part of that. What did I just do? _Way to go, Spencer Reid. You've done it again. You've screwed up another friendship._ He pinched his nose bridge, wishing he could take it all back; wishing he could have just internalised everything from the start.

The both of them grew apart. For a week or so, their interactions were limited. There was only the basic 'hello', and 'goodbye' greeting at work, and rarely, the offer to bring the other party a snack from the machine, or a coffee from the patio. Emily knew that if she wanted to salvage this, she had to take the first step. The question was: _how_.

The days leading up to Halloween, an idea struck her. She slipped into Garcia's office after lunch.

"Garcia?" She knocked gently on the door, making sure not to startle her.

"Yes, my lovely?" Garcia spun her chair around to greet her friend with open arms.

"Do you- Uh- could you get me two tickets to that Halloween fundraiser thing that you were talking about?" Emily bit her lip.

"I thought nobody was paying attention to me when I mentioned it. My, my, Emily, you are impeccable." Garcia smiled. "And by the 'Halloween fundraiser thing', I assume you mean The Annual Children's Association Halloween Gala?"

"Yeah. And yes, I'm paid to notice things, Penelope." Emily unfolded her arms, and leaned on the door.

"Well, then if I'm not wrong, you just asked for two tickets, not one. Who's the special man, huh?" Garcia winked.

"You really could be a profiler."

"Change of subject, and tone. Hmm, sneaky, sneaky. But I do prefer my lovely tech cave to blood and gore, so no, thank you." Garcia spun back to her endless spread of bright screens.

"So, the tickets?" Emily laughed.

"You've got it. I'll leave them by your desk later. You ma'am, now owe me a giant coffee. And forty bucks." Garcia smirked.

"No problem. Thanks, Penelope."

"They don't call me the Oracle of Quantico for nothing, honey."

Emily picked up the embossed tickets, placed neatly on her stack of files. She took a good look at them. She would never have done this with anyone else. _It's a gala, for goodness sakes._ It was a fact, however, that it was Emily's best bet. Despite knowing Reid for a few months, she knew that he was someone who loved festivities. _Halloween's perfect_; she assured herself again. She tucked the tickets into her drawer, eagerly anticipating knock-off time to give one to Reid…

Reid wasn't sure he wanted to attend the gala. He didn't enjoy social events all that much. He always felt pressured to start conversations with socialites against his will. He was reminded by the fact that he wasn't just invited, but invited by Emily. Trying to shut it out of his system, he dismissed the thought that Emily had something she had to tell him. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but he couldn't help but to wait with bated breath.

He looked into the elongated mirror, and adjusted his puce sweater vest, hoping he fitted the de rigueur for the night. _Casual wear, right? _Reid hated this. He loathed trying to look perfect, he despised feeling inadequate, and he abhorred the feeling of suspense. Folding his sleeves, he tucked his phone into the pocket of his corduroys, and left for his car. _Don't overthink it- just get it over with. _

He arrived at the venue printed in bold on the ticket, concise, at the stated time. He bowed his head, and shunted his hands into his pockets, as he ambled into the vast hallway. It was seething with people. Searching and drawing his phone, he keyed Emily's number in. His finger hovered over the call button, feeling tension, as it grazed the surface. Concurrently, Emily called.

"He- hello? Emily?" Reid picked up.

"Reid, where are you?" Emily laughed, alleviating Reid's anxiety.

"I- I have no idea."

"Well, neither do I. This place is swamped! I had no clue it would turn out like that… Reid? Are you still there?"

The line went dead. Across the horde of bustling human traffic, the pair seemed to have spotted one another. Reid raised his hand up to his chest, and waved shyly. She was amused by his actions. Somehow, no matter what issue it was, he had always seemed to be able to make her smile. A wide grin spread across Emily's face, as she directed his vision to the exit. She tilted her head there, as they made their way there.

"Hey." Reid revealed a stroppy smile.

"I really didn't think that this many people would have turned up. I thought it would be a quiet session out of the workplace where we could be alone." Emily apologised.

"Nah, it's alright." Reid nodded. "You look- uh- absolutely stunning tonight." He continued, as his eyes scanned her form. He was charmed by her delicate, yet spontaneous scarlet knee-high dress, which accentuated her elegant curves to a tee.

Emily blushed, and nudged him in the elbow. "Thank you. I could say the same to you. I like this look of yours… No tie, and the vest goes well with the corduroys. You look- smart. Like you are."

Reid couldn't help but feel flattered. Girls had never complimented him- not before. "It's a little too loud inside. Is it okay if we uh- walk out here instead?" Emily continued, staring at the busy community centre.

"Yeah- definitely. I'd love to." Reid replied without hesitation.

She walked close to him, leading the way sensitively. Her sudden attachment took him aback, but he wasn't sure he disliked it. It sent warm surges of fuzz around his being; evoking more sweat, being in the midst of a hot July evening. He didn't mind it. Not the least bit.

"I kind of took a gamble on this one. I didn't know if you liked Halloween, though I hope you do." Emily mumbled timidly, biting her lip.

"Absolutely. I love Halloween! Did you know, the first day of November was called _All Hallows Day_, or more recently, _All Saints Day_, after the rise of Christianity? Hence, October 31st was commonly known as _Hallows Eve_,which is how Halloween got its name. Pretty cool, huh?" Reid smiled jubilantly, drawing his hands out of his pockets.

"I didn't. That's interesting, actually." Emily smiled, tugging on Reid's upper arm.

"Excuse us!" A small voice yelled from behind. A swarm of children ran past the two agents, chasing after a petite boy with a jack-o-lantern. The duo paused their conversation, as they watched the miniscule shadows fade into the dark of the night.

"That was adorable-" Emily murmured, as Reid turned to face her.

"It was." Reid replied unexpectedly. He looked at Emily; his eyes glistening as he observed her striking smile. She looked back at him, not paying attention to his loving glimpse, holding his wrist.

For moments, Reid stood there shocked. He didn't want to say a thing- he didn't want her to let go.

"About what I dragged you here for- I," Emily resumed; avoiding eye contact with him, unconscious of the fact that she was holding him.

"Yeah?" Reid smiled reassuringly.

"The night that you came to my uh- my apartment?"

"Oh- I wasn't sure of what I was saying. I-" Emily stopped him from proceeding.

"I want you to know, Reid, that I- I didn't run after you because I wasn't sure if I felt the same way as you do. And I wasn't even sure you were even referring to me- Thing is, I don't want our friendship to go down the drain. Not because of this. Do you understand me?"

"Ye- yeah. Totally get it. I was being foolish. I knew nothing would come out of it. I mean, in all fairness, look at you, then look at me. Really-"

Her stomach tossed and churned violently- she didn't want to hear this. Gripping his hand, she drew him into a kiss. It was soft, and unpretentious, though it sent shivers down every bone in Reid's being. He had never felt this close to someone before- nor had he ever felt this way about anyone else. Hanging on to the kiss, Reid's free arm tucked itself behind her, supporting her, whilst his other hand, still locked with hers, moved closer to his chest. She could feel his heart throbbing against his ribcage. She loved that she made him more human than ever, throwing the fact that he was a genius out of consideration. It didn't need to be considered. Her free hand crept behind his neck, bringing him even closer. His strong arms gravitated her towards him, and he kept it that way. She tugged delicately on his lips, as he led out a barely audible moan. Within a split second, he did the same, drawing her lips to and fro in a tantalising manner. She smiled, returning the favour. Letting her eyes flutter open, she took a good glimpse at him. He opened his eyes as their lips parted, finding her a mere nose length's distance from him. She could feel the tremors in his breathing, just like he could smell the faint scent of her perfect ebony hair.

"I said I didn't want our friendship to just evaporate like that. I didn't mean we couldn't be more than that." Emily said breathlessly. A tide of relief overcame Reid, as a content smile emerged on his face.

"I'm sorry I couldn't shut up." Reid replied jokingly, allowing his nose to graze the tip of hers.

"But I'm not sorry that I shut you up." Emily smirked. She pressed her lips tenderly against his, feeling him smile as she did.

"Ew, kissy kissy!" One child yelled playfully from across the street, as his entourage squealed at the newfound couple.

Breaking apart, Emily and Reid laughed mirthfully.

"Trick-or-treat!" The lantern bearer stretched his bucket out, as the couple crossed the street to the group.

"I've only got a pack of gum." Reid whispered to Emily, as she laughed mockingly. There were at least five children present, all around the age of six.

"No candy? Then we'll have to trick you, I guess." The frontman called.

"Well, it isn't Halloween until tomorrow, so no can do, little man." Emily smiled warmly, patting the child's shoulder.

"Drats, that's not what daddy said…" The child pouted, lowering his outstretched lantern.

"Hey, kiddo, what's your name?" Reid's face lit up, as he crouched to the youth's height.

"My name's Felix. These are my crewmen from my pirate ship. I'm the captain. Tommy's the watchman, because he doesn't wear glasses. Joanna's the cook because her mum makes really nice pies. Tully is the quartermaster because he gets his things organised, and Nina's the doctor, because she's never sick. Arghhh-" The child recited innocently, drawing a small synthetic sword from his belt.

"That's cool, Felix. It's late though, and pirates have to go home to get their rest, while the ship is getting repaired at the dock. It's dangerous out in the dark seaside…" Reid smiled.

"Awww, we just got started. Maybe tomorrow, guys." The boy sulked to his friends.

"You know, before you go, let me show you a magic trick." Reid showed his open palms to the group. He flicked his right hand, and jerked it to the front. He pulled it back, and blew on it. Turning his clenched fist around, he relaxed his fingers, revealing a pack of gum, which he deposited into the jack-o-lantern.

"Woah." The children mumbled in unison. "He's a wizard!" One of the kids yelled.

"Well, what's your name, mister wizard?" The frontman asked nicely.

"My name's Spencer." Reid replied, getting up.

"What's yours, missy? And what do you do?" The child turned his attention to Emily, who was impressed by Reid.

"My name's Emily. I uh- I'm a-"

"She's the Queen." Reid stepped in.

"What's she the queen of?" A girl squeaked.

"Well, she's the queen of-" Reid paused, leaning forward towards the crowd again. He whispered something that made the children squeal and chuckle, though Emily wasn't quite sure of what it was.

"Alrighty mister Spencer. We're all going home now. Shhhh…" The leader of the pack smiled. "We'll keep it a secret for you." He covered his mouth, as he bade the couple goodbye. The assemblage of children ran inside their respective houses, as the couple watched protectively. The children left the two agents under the canopy of streetlights in the suburban area.

He took her hand in his own, and started their aimless stroll. "What did you say to the kids?" Emily asked curiously, resting her head on Reid's shoulder.

"It's mushy. I doubt you'd like to hear it." Reid muttered.

"Nah, I want to. Tell me."

"Alright- I uh- I said that you were the queen of-" Reid laughed, as Emily raised an eyebrow.

"I told them that you were the queen of my heart."

Emily remained quiet, and Reid tensed up in trepidation. _Too far?_ He wondered as he bit his lip, stealing a glimpse of Emily as she stood in silence.

Without an added word, she pulled him back, and cupped his face in her palms.

"I love you, Spencer Reid." Emily smiled faintly, as tears of joy shone in her eyes. With that, she drew him into another long kiss; just like their first. Parting, he shut his eyes, and held her close with his arms. "Emily Prentiss, I've never known, but I think this is how love feels like. And, I love you." Reid whispered fondly in her ear, as she clung onto the holds of his vest. He stroked her hair, and placed soft pecks on it, as she caressed his back.

_Maybe this was what I had been missing from the start. _


End file.
